Fun Food for our Kids

After studying a food degree I arrogantly thought I knew a bundle on children's food and nutrition. It wasn't until some 4 years later when I was living with my sister's family, which included two little girls under 4 did I realize that I had so much more to learn. To understand children’s eating behaviors I quickly learnt that no text book could teach me the experiences from living or having your own children.

I vividly remember occasions my sister and I would prepare deliciously nutritious and colourful meal's only to have two cute button noses turned up at the sight of what was dished up in front of them.

‘I don’t want vegetables in my pasta,' shrieked Charlotte, defiantly.

After many eye rolls and sighs later we realised that kid's say 'no', many times but if we persevered with the same food used in different recipes; vegies hidden under pizza toppings instead of pasta! Then the girls started to enjoy the very same ingredients they once disliked, and hooray, a breakthrough!

Something I have learnt through watching and observing is that you never give up with children's food hates as most parents would already know. Although I am not yet a parent, I do hope to be granted with such a gift one day. When that day happens I aim to be like my sister's who are passionate about giving their children the very best start to a healthy lifestyle.

Educating children on healthy foods early in their development is a great start to building a healthy approach to food as they grow up, teaching them life long skills. When they finally move out they will be a step ahead! This stems not only from the food they are served at dinner but getting them involved in the process of sourcing, preparing and cooking with fresh ingredients.

Here is one simple kid-friendly recipe the girl's liked to cook with their aunt!


Pizza for kid's
Plan ahead to reduce your stress in the kitchen, pizza's are an easy and healthy lunch, dinner or snack. The kids will love getting messy in the kitchen with this recipe any time of the day. Try these super-simple pizza's when next in the kitchen with you kid's.

3 days before Buy fresh ingredients;Cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, ham, rocket/spinach, eggs and fresh yeast if using.
1 hour before Remove ingredients from the refrigerator, wash & prep all ingredients, place into small bowls, set aside on the kitchen table.

Kitchen cupboard ingredients
Self-Raising
Plain Flour
Sugar
Dried yeast
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Tomato paste
Pizza dough

1 x 7 sachet dried yeast (15g fresh yeast)
1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup lukewarm water - the water should be slightly warmer than your finger

1 cup Self-raising flour
1 cup plain flour
salt to taste

Toppings
100g tomato paste
1 cup cheese, grated
2 tomatoes, sliced
100g mushrooms, sliced
100g ham
50g spinach, washed
50g Parmesan, finely grated
eggs, optional (I like cracking a whole egg to the top of my pizza pre-cooking!)

Pre-heat oven to 200C/180C fan forced
Combine yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl, pour in the water and mix until combined. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Add flours, season with salt and bring dough together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide mixture evenly into 4 balls and roll out to 1 cm thickness. Add topping; tomato paste, cheese (so the ingredients sticks to the pizza), tomatoes, mushrooms, ham and an egg (optional), cracked onto the top of the pizza. Place on oven tray.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked.
Sprinkle with fresh rocket or spinach and Parmesan.
Eat immediately with the family.

love amie x